1941-Period Soviet Infantry Tactics
|date=1941 }} By the time of Operation Barbarossa, hundreds of thousands of Soviet troops were available to fight the Axis invaders, though their tactics and organization left much to be desired, as evidence with the Axis push through the Soviet Union, almost reaching Moscow. The standard Soviet infantry squad consisted of eleven men, one being the squad leader, two being part of the light machine gun team, two more being submachine-gunners, and the last six being riflemen.Campbell, David. German Infantryman versus Soviet Rifleman: Barbarossa 1941. Osprey Publishing (2014), Page 26-27The most common weapon in this squad being the Mosin-Nagant M1891/30 Rifle, affixed with a bayonet for close combat. However, if available, SVT-40 semi-automatic rifles were also sometimes issued, though they were hardly favorites among troops. Even with its higher rate of fire, the SVT-40 suffered from numerous mechanical issues that made it difficult to maintain. Soviet platoons meanwhile consisted of four squads or sections and a four man command section to form a forty-eight man platoon. Training Most Soviet frontline troops were either conscripted or reservists being called back to fight. Regardless, their training was relatively basic compared to other militaries of the time. Many times, even weapons were held back from those being trained because of severe shortages. What weapons there were had to be shared, leaving a majority of troops with little information on how to operate the equipment they would need in combat.Rottman, Gordon L. Soviet Rifleman 1941-45. Osprey Publishing (2007), Page 8 All riflemen were also expected to be able to conduct a variety of tasks depending on the situation including performing as a messenger, fortifying a position, issuing first-aid, scouting, and field observation. Training time varied from months during peacetime to weeks in war time. Doctrine emphasized the strict following of military manuals and a strong hate for the enemy. Tactics Squad and platoon movement was typically done in a single-file column to prevent men from getting lost, keep the group moving through deep snow or thick vegetation by allowing the front to pave the way for the rear troops, and generally to allow the group to be controlled more easily. For attacking, the platoon would form a skirmish line and wait for the commander's order to engage. The commander would then indicate whether the platoon would attack at a sprint, walking, or crawling. Notably, the only covering fire provided for the platoon would be from other platoons or attacking units, no members of the attacking platoon stayed behind to cover the others. The entire platoon would attack together shouting the famous Soviet battle cry "Urra!," firing on the move and throwing grenades once the distance had been covered. After the charge, the surviving infantry would secure the position and prepare to repel counterattacks. Perhaps the biggest defect of this method of attack was that, especially in the opening battles on the Eastern Front, Soviet support was not always available and thus many attacking platoons suffered terrible casualties. After fortifying, positions were often camouflaged with decoy positions also being built so as to draw in German infantry and engage at close range. Besides camouflaged from ground observation, Soviet platoons often made their positions inside forests or locations from where they could be obscured from the air. References Category:Tactics Category:Soviet Tactics